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SOCIAL REINTEGRATION OF FIFTY RELEASED PRISONERS

NCJ Number
64442
Journal
RASSEGNA DI CRIMINOLOGIA Volume: 6 Issue: 1-2 Dated: (1975) Pages: 165-186
Author(s)
G F PALLANCA; G B TRAVERSO
Date Published
1975
Length
22 pages
Annotation
AS PART OF AN ONGOING PROJECT BY ITALIAN CRIMINOLOGISTS TO EVALUATE THE EFFECTS OF IMPRISONMENT, 50 EX-OFFENDERS WERE SURVEYED IMMEDIATELY UPON RELEASE AND 6 MONTHS THEREAFTER ON THEIR ADJUSTMENT PROBLEMS.
Abstract
THE RESULTS OF A SURVEY OF FORMER PRISON INMATES, THE PURPOSE OF WHICH WAS TO ESTABLISH WHETHER CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS ARE FULFILLING THEIR STATED OBJECTIVES OF OFFENDER REHABILITATION AND SOCIAL REINTEGRATION, WERE TABULATED ACCORDING TO VARIOUS DESCRIPTIVE VARIABLES. THE SUBJECTS WERE QUESTIONED ON THE SOCIAL REINTEGRATION PROBLEMS THEY EXPECTED TO HAVE IMMEDIATELY UPON RELEASE AND THEN CHECKED ON WHAT PROGRESS THEY HAD MADE MONTHS LATER. THE MOST SIGNIFICANT FINDINGS WAS A REINFORCEMENT OF THE RESEARCHERS' HYPOTHESIS THAT THE TIME THE EX-OFFENDERS HAD SPENT IN PRISON HAD DONE LITTLE OR NOTHING TO REHABILITATE THEM AND, ABOVE ALL, TO EQUIP THEM FOR REENTERING THE OUTSIDE WORLD AND LEADING A LIFE OF NORMAL FAMILY TIES AND GAINFUL EMPLOYMENT. FAILURE TO FIND A JOB, ADDED TO PERSONAL AND FAMILY PROBLEMS, MADE IT ALMOST UNAVOIDABLE FOR THE SUBJECTS TO BACKSLIDE INTO FORMER CRIMINAL ASSOCIATIONS AND RECIDIVISM. THE RATE OF RECIDIVISM WAS FOUND TO BE IN DIRECT PROPORTION TO THE LACK OF EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES THE EX-OFFENDERS ENCOUNTERED ALMOST UNIFORMLY. AN EVEN GREATER OBSTACLE THAN THE STIGMA OF A PRISON RECORD AND CRIMINAL LABEL WAS THE LACK OF WORKING EXPERIENCE, CAUSED BY THE WASTED YEARS OF IMPRISONMENT, DURING WHICH THE MEN HAD RECEIVED NO MEANINGFUL TRAINING TO MAINTAIN AND UPDATE ANY MARKETABLE SKILLS THEY MIGHT HAVE HAD OR TO ACQUIRE NEW ONES, BEING KEPT INSTEAD IN IDLENESS OR EMPLOYED IN MAKEWORK PROJECTS WITH EVEN MORE ADVERSE EFFECTS. THE CONNECTION BETWEEN UNEMPLOYMENT AND RECIDIVISM FOR FORMER OFFENDERS WAS CLEARLY ESTABLISHED AS A RESULT OF THIS SURVEY. NUMEROUS TABLES ARE INCLUDED IN THE TEXT AND A BIBLIOGRAPHY IS APPENDED. --IN ITALIAN. (LGR).